Vehicle sales came in at 55,111 units in March 2009 representing a 2.7% growth year-on-year. The Automotive Distributors’ Association (ODD) said the figure was largely due to the government’s tax cut on consumption. Personal car sales were 19% up year-on-year to 40,622 units. Light commercial vehicle sales fell 26% year-on-year to 14,489. Including March’s figures, total sales fell 20% year-on-year to 96,459 in the first quarter of 2009, including sales of personal cars down 7.6% year-on-year, and light commercial vehicles sales fell 39.4% year-on-year. A key factor boosting sales is a preference for cash payment, with around 70% of all vehicle sales in April made in this way, despite weakening credit restrictions. Total automotive production (not including tractors) was 218,112, a 54% year-on-year drop, in the period to end-April 2009. April production figures were up on March by 28%, however. Meanwhile, the share of imported vehicles in total sales in the period was 59.4%, compared with 56.2% in 4M08. Volkswagen led retail sales, selling 11,564 units of imported passenger cars and LCVs. Domestic wholesales fell 35% to 57,883 units in the first four months, mainly due to commercial vehicles down by 43%, while domestic factory sales of passenger cars were down 24%. In April, the OSD said car output fell 43% year-on-year in March, to 37,125 cars, with total automobile output down 53% to 58,892. The OSD also revealed that in the first quarter of 2009, passenger car production declined by 51% to 91,155 units and total automobile output fell by 59% to 142,567 units. The total number of passenger cars and commercial vehicles sold was up 30% year-on-year in May. May sales saw a minor increase of 2.5% year-in-year in the total number of autos sold, while figures indicate that passenger car sales increased by 22% m/m, as the number of commercial vehicles sold increased by 15.6% month-on-month. In April 2009, Italian car maker Fiat sold 10,032 cars and light commercial vehicles in Turkey, a rise of 40% year-on-year. Fiat currently heads the domestic market with 19.1% and 38% of the commercial vehicle market share. The company’s management said in May that Fiat’s target was to maintain its market share to the end of 2009. The market is waiting to see how the government’s temporary private consumption tax break, which comes into force on June 15, affects the market. It is not clear if the government’s wider stimulus package will include steps to boost the automotive industry, although some reports suggest the government and auto sector representatives are discussing a three-step plan to revive the sector. BMI’s view is that the stimulus package will help boost the auto industry, although the Association of Automotive Parts & Components Manufacturers (TAYSAD) is less certain, suggesting this may help clear the backlog of vehicles, but will have a limited impact further down the line.